IGN's Top 10 Disney/Marvel Comic Books

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Our imaginations are running wild now that Mickey Mouse owns Spider-Man. From Lost to Kill Bill to Ducktales, we fire off some of our dream projects.

By Jesse Schedeen

If you're a comic book reader, we won't even entertain the notion at this point that you haven't heard the big news of the week. Disney is in the process of purchasing Marvel Comics. This deal opens up all sorts of interesting possibilities and questions. It's these possibilities we've been trying to tackle all week long.

It's safe to assume that Marvel's writers and artists will be given some level of access to the Disney lineup. In the coming months (years?), we expect to hear announcements of new comics that feature familiar Disney faces. As we wait patiently for these announcements to come, we've decided to put together a list of the Marvel/Disney collaborations we'd most like to see.

Unlike the many suggestions of "Hannah Montana vs. Galactus" or "Finding Namor" we've seen on the Internet, we're actually going to take this feature seriously. We've pulled the ten Disney franchises we feel would work best as comics, not just from Disney's animation lineup, but also from subsidiaries like Miramax and Touchstone Pictures. Granted, some of these picks have already been comic books before, whether as features in the Disney Adventures magazine or as full-fledged series. But with the talent pool and pedigree at Marvel, we can't help but imagine how they might turn out now.

We love Kingdom Hearts. The franchise blends our favorites Disney and Final Fantasy elements into one unique and surprisingly cohesive universe. On the other hand, being a fan of Kingdom Hearts is an increasingly expensive proposition these days. Gamers need to own four separate systems to play every entry in the series so far, and that number is only going to increase as more sequels hit the market.

Not that comics are ever accused of being cheap these days, but it would certainly be nice to hit the shop, pick up a Kingdom Hearts story, and not have to worry whether we have the correct $300 machine to experience the story. Square-Enix have already commissioned a manga series that closely follows the games. Rather than retread that territory again, we'd like to see the Marvel series strike its own territory. With dozens of Disney and Final Fantasy worlds to explore, the potential for a Kingdom Hearts comic is almost limitless.

The real question is whether Marvel's signature heroes should be inducted into the Kingdom Hearts universe. At the moment, we're inclined to say no. We would prefer that the games make the jump first, if it is to be made at all, and allow Marvel to simply focus on its newer acquisitions.

If nothing else, the irony of seeing Marvel publish a comic book called Alias that has nothing to do with the exploits of Jessica Jones and Luke Cage would be amusing. That said, our interest in an Alias adaptation runs far deeper than that. The TV spy drama that made Jennifer Garner famous had a reasonably long lifespan on ABC. It lasted five seasons before finally being canceled due to low ratings.

But those five seasons weren't enough for the more dedicated viewers. The mythology still left plenty of room for expansion, particularly as the final episode flashed forward several years into the life of Agent Sydney Bristow. The series has already birthed one videogame and several dozen novels in recent years. A tie-in comic would seem to be no major stretch. And with books like Secret Warriors and Spider-Woman rekindling interest in spy antics, Alias may find itself a proper home at Marvel.

Roger Rabbit

Who Framed Roger Rabbit? was an animation fan's dream. In the pre-Youtube/fan-film era, it was the only way to see characters like Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny interacting on the same screen. While we don't imagine a Mickey/Bugs or a Daffy/Donald reunion is feasible given DC's claim to the Looney Tunes franchise, we can picture similar pairings happening on the printed page.

Even without the gratuitous cameos, a Roger Rabbit series still sounds promising. Despite its whimsical appearance, the franchise is host to some less-than-subtle adult undertones. We'd also love to see some of Marvel's top artists try their hand at capturing the live action/animation blend of visuals the series is so famous for. Perhaps Marvel can finally resurrect the failed Roger Rabbit film sequel as a standalone graphic novel or mini-series.

Unbreakable is the under-appreciated gem in M. Night Shyamalan's lineup of films. Most viewers ignored this grounded superhero fable in the wake of Sixth Sense, but those that gave it a chance found a lot to like. While we agree that Marvel aren't exactly strapped for available superhero characters these days, we still feel an Unbreakable comic has something significant to offer the industry.

We know Shyamalan has ideas for future Unbreakable stories. The film just barely established David Dunn and Mr. Glass in their roles as hero and villain before leaving their fates open. Shyamalan has indicated he may have an entire trilogy of movies planned, even if the average moviegoers is less than interested in watching them. Marvel would offer Shyamalan an outlet for those stories, whether he writes them himself or works with a team of writers a la Dark Tower. Speaking of Dark Tower, we already picture Jae Lee finishing the final mini-series and turning his attention to a new Unbreakable mini-series. Who better to capture the bleak, moody tone of the movie than Lee?

Of all the picks on this list, Gargoyles is the one that has come closest to fruition already. The animated series always appealed to audiences because of its surprisingly deep back-story and complex characterizations. Imagine the Ninja Turtles with a truly Shakespearean mythology in place of pizza and talking brains. Sadly, the show fell apart in its final season thanks to a studio-mandated focus on Goliath and a dip in overall quality.

Creator Greg Weisman was able to present his vision of Gargoyles Season 3 in the form of an ongoing series at Slave Labor Graphics. Sadly, the book struggled to maintain readership, and it was canceled within a year. We want Marvel to take the reins of this project. The idea was sound, even if the presentation wasn't always up to snuff. Dark Horse proves with Buffy Season 8 that TV series can live on and thrive as comics. All Gargoyles needs is a stable, supportive home.